FABLE XVII
by John Gay · from Fables of John Gay (Somewhat Altered)
Adapted Version
A wolf is in the hills. The hills are big and green. The wolf is hungry. Very, very hungry. He needs to eat. His stomach is empty. He goes to his home. His home is a dark cave. He goes in the cave to rest.
A dog sees the wolf. The dog is big and brown. He is a good dog. He guards the sheep. The sheep are white. They eat green grass. The dog watches the sheep. He is a good guard. He sees the wolf go. He follows the wolf. He follows the wolf to his cave.
The dog sees the wolf. The wolf is in the cave. The dog stands at the cave. The dog barks. "Woof, woof, woof!" He makes a loud noise. The wolf hears the noise. The wolf growls. "Grrr, grrr, grrr!" He is loud, too. They bark and growl. The noise is very big. Soon they are tired. The cave is quiet.
They rest in the quiet cave. The dog watches the wolf. The wolf watches the dog. No more barking. No more growling. The dog speaks first. His voice is soft. He says, “Why eat the sheep? It is not nice. The sheep are good. The sheep do not hurt you. They are my friends.”
The wolf looks at the dog. His yellow eyes are smart. He is not angry now. He says, “I am a wolf. I must eat meat. A wolf is a hunter. I am hungry. I am always hungry. Wolves eat sheep. It is what we do. I must eat to live.”
The wolf looks past the dog. He can see the hills. He can see the man. He says, “A man eats sheep, too. Look at your friend, the man. You help him. He eats sheep every day. You see him eat. He eats many sheep. Many, many sheep. He eats for his family. I eat one sheep. He eats more sheep than me. Much more.”
The dog is quiet. He does not bark. He does not growl. His ears are down. He looks at the wolf in the cave. Then he looks at the man. The man is his friend. The man is good. He looks at the white sheep. They eat the green grass. They are good, too. The dog thinks. He thinks about the wolf. He thinks about the man. He thinks and thinks.
Original Story
FABLE XVII.
Shepherd's Dog and Wolf.
A hungry wolf had thinned the fold,
Safely he refuged on the wold;
And, as in den secure he lay,
The thefts of night regaled his day.
The shepherd's dog, who searched the glen,
By chance found the marauder's den.
They fought like Trojan and like Greek,
Till it fell out they both waxed weak.
"Wolf," said the dog, "the whilst we rest on,
I fain would ask of you a question."
"Ask on," the wolf replied; "I'm ready."
"Wolf," said the dog, "with soul so steady
And limbs so strong, I wonder much
That you our lambs and ewes should touch.
There are the lion and the boar
To bathe your jaws with worthier gore;
'Tis cowardly to raid the fold."
"Friend," said the wolf, "I pray thee, hold!
Nature framed me a beast of prey,
And I must eat when, where I may.
Now if your bosom burn with zeal
To help and aid the bleating-weal,
Hence to your lord and master: say
What you have said to me; or, stay,
Tell him that I snatch, now and then,
One sheep for thousands gorged by men.
I am their foe, and called a curse,
But a pretended friend is worse."
Story DNA
Moral
Those who pretend to be friends while causing greater harm are worse than open enemies.
Plot Summary
A hungry wolf, having preyed on sheep, is discovered by a shepherd's dog, leading to a fierce fight. Exhausted, the dog questions the wolf's cowardly choice of prey. The wolf defends his actions as natural instinct and then challenges the dog to confront his master, pointing out that humans consume far more sheep than any wolf. The fable concludes with the wolf asserting that an open enemy is preferable to a 'pretended friend' who causes greater harm.
Themes
Emotional Arc
conflict to cynical realization
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
John Gay was an 18th-century English poet and dramatist, known for his satirical fables that often critiqued societal norms and political figures of his time.
Plot Beats (7)
- A hungry wolf, after thinning a flock, takes refuge in his den.
- The shepherd's dog, searching the glen, finds the wolf's den.
- The dog and wolf engage in a fierce battle until both are weakened.
- The dog, during a rest, questions the wolf's choice to prey on sheep, calling it cowardly when there are stronger beasts to hunt.
- The wolf responds by stating that nature made him a beast of prey and he must eat when and where he can.
- The wolf then challenges the dog to confront his own master with the same zeal, pointing out that men consume thousands of sheep compared to the wolf's occasional one.
- The wolf concludes by asserting that he is an open foe, but a 'pretended friend' (like man to sheep) is far worse.
Characters
The Wolf ⚔ antagonist
A lean, powerful wolf, with a gaunt frame suggesting constant hunger despite his strength. His muscles are corded, and his paws are large and calloused from roaming. He moves with a predatory grace, even when weakened.
Attire: None, as he is an animal. His natural fur coat serves as his only covering.
Wants: Survival and satisfying his inherent predatory nature. He wants to eat and live according to his instincts.
Flaw: His constant hunger and his inherent nature as a predator make him an enemy to humans, leading to conflict and danger.
He does not change. He remains steadfast in his nature and his philosophy, even when confronted by the dog.
Pragmatic, cunning, unapologetic, direct, and observant. He understands his nature and the hypocrisy of others.
Image Prompt & Upload
A lean, powerful grey-brown wolf standing upright, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. He has a long, narrow snout, sharp yellowed fangs, and piercing amber eyes. His fur is coarse and shaggy, matted in places. He has a wary, intelligent expression, with a slight sneer. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Shepherd's Dog ★ protagonist
A sturdy, muscular dog, built for guarding and endurance. He is well-fed and cared for, with a robust frame. His fur is thick, providing protection from the elements.
Attire: None, as he is an animal. His natural fur coat serves as his only covering.
Wants: To protect his flock and serve his master. He is driven by a strong sense of duty and morality.
Flaw: His naivety and idealism. He struggles to understand motivations outside of his own moral framework.
He learns a harsh lesson about the complexities of morality and the nature of predators, realizing that not all 'evil' is simple or easily judged.
Loyal, dutiful, righteous, somewhat naive, and brave. He believes strongly in justice and protecting his flock.
Image Prompt & Upload
A sturdy, shaggy white sheepdog standing upright, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. He has a broad, intelligent face with dark, earnest eyes and a strong muzzle. His fur is thick and well-kept. He has a questioning, slightly indignant expression. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Locations
The Wold (Wilderness)
A desolate, open expanse of uncultivated land, likely hilly or undulating, providing natural refuge and concealment for wild animals. The ground would be uneven, covered in sparse, tough grasses and perhaps some low-lying scrub or heather, typical of a European moorland or heath.
Mood: Wild, untamed, desolate, a place of survival and danger.
The wolf takes refuge here after raiding the fold, and later, the shepherd's dog discovers his den here, leading to their confrontation.
Image Prompt & Upload
A vast, undulating European wold under a wide, overcast sky, with patches of tough, wind-swept grasses and low, gnarled heather clinging to the exposed, rocky ground. The terrain rolls gently into the distance, with a few ancient, weather-beaten boulders scattered across the landscape. A cool, muted light filters through the clouds, casting soft, indistinct shadows. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Wolf's Den
A secure, hidden lair within the wold, likely a natural cave, a burrow dug into a hillside, or a sheltered crevice among large rocks. The interior would be dark, earthy, and perhaps slightly damp, with a narrow entrance obscured by vegetation or rockfall.
Mood: Secretive, primal, secure, a place of rest and concealment.
The wolf rests here, regaling himself with his night's thefts. The shepherd's dog discovers this den, leading to the fight and subsequent dialogue.
Image Prompt & Upload
The dark, earthy interior of a wolf's den, a natural cave carved into a rocky hillside, with rough-hewn stone walls and a packed dirt floor. A narrow opening to the outside is partially obscured by tangled roots and moss-covered rocks, allowing only a sliver of muted daylight to penetrate, highlighting dust motes in the still air. The air is cool and still, with a faint, primal scent. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
The Glen
A narrow, secluded valley or hollow, likely with a stream running through it, flanked by slopes that could be wooded or covered in dense undergrowth. It serves as a natural pathway or hunting ground, connecting the open wold to the more populated areas like the fold.
Mood: Secluded, natural, a transitional space between wilderness and civilization.
The shepherd's dog searches this area, eventually finding the wolf's den.
Image Prompt & Upload
A secluded, winding glen in a temperate European landscape, with gently sloping sides covered in dense ferns, wild grasses, and scattered birch trees with their distinctive white bark. A narrow, rocky path meanders through the center, hinting at a hidden stream beneath the undergrowth. Soft, dappled sunlight filters through the canopy above, creating a mosaic of light and shadow on the forest floor. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
